The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Todd H.
Date: 2001-02-18 22:57
Very often I turn to my stand partner and ask " Am I playing too loud?". Usually I have been, and have to quiet down a bit. So it kind of surprised me last week when I was told that I had to supply more volume. I had been blowing the you know what out of the clarinet and just had to listen to this sax player tell me to get a "wider" mouthpiece( visions of duckbill bari sax mpc). Unfortunately he couldn't give me any advice on what kind to try. So far now I've switched from a Vandoren 5RV to the B-45 and am playing a little louder using V-12 #3 reed. Not too bad of a setup, but I suspect that it isn't going to be loud enough; it will have to do for a while. Some stiffer reeds maybe? A more open mouthpiece probably; there is nothing in stock at the local shops so maybe I'll have to do the mail order thing.
But I don't really have a good idea of what kind of mouthpiece might help. If anyone has some idea of what options should be considered it would be a big help.
Todd
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-02-19 00:56
I was surprised to find out clarinets can be played quietly (not my natural tendency). My guess is that you will soon throw your back out trying to keep up with the Bari or tenor.
Open mouthpieces go with softer reeds, I thought. Lots of the local Dixieland players like the Promarico and other crystal mouthpieces. Pacquito does, and I think Pete Fountain uses one as well.
I have one that is kind of touchy, it likes a medium-soft (1 3/4 - #2) reed but beats them up pretty fast. I got a spare, but never use it.
Good luck in your search!
anji
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Author: Miles
Date: 2001-02-19 02:03
Hello Todd,
I use Ralph Morgan J7 jazz . It plays great and plays loud and with control. I use V-12's #3. I think almost all of Morgan's mpc's are great. I heard that Lomax has a new mpc on the market. It was made for Andrew Firth.
Good Luck
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-02-19 04:09
I use a Morgan J7 on my Leblanc LL. Very responsive and free-blowing and can produce alot of volume while being easy to control at softer dynamic levels. This is a very open piece (.057") so a soft reed is in order. A Mitchell Lurie 2 1/2 works for me. The J7 is a great jazz piece but may not be the ideal classical piece.
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Author: Bob Sparkman
Date: 2001-02-19 10:23
The Vandoren 5JB is a super mouthpiece for "power" and still gets a beautiful sound. Listen to Kenny Davern on Arbors records for a sample. He made an album with strings which is simply stunning.
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Author: Pam
Date: 2001-02-19 22:57
I use a Vandoren 5JB and get a big sound from it. With this one it is best to go with a softer reed. I use 2 1/2 V-12's. Consider your ligature as well. That will figure into what kind of sound you get also.
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Author: Todd H.
Date: 2001-02-20 02:08
Well O.K. ! Thanks for the direction to go, I'll try these mouthpieces and find out what'll work for me. As for ligatures, I've wanted to try string, so maybe that could replace the inverted Bonade that I'm used to......
Todd
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-02-20 19:46
Todd -
At ppp, you shouldn't hear yourself. At fff, you should hear everybody else.
Anything more is too loud.
Ken Shaw
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